Letters: Why homeless people deserve A Future Now

Homeless people are being severely disadvantaged because of a lack of support around reading, writing and skills to get online.

According to a recent survey of our 2,000 homeless clients, around a third lack the skills to complete a form without help.

This is double the average of one in six people in the UK who struggle with literacy.

St Mungo’s is asking people to get behind a new campaign called Reading Matters and add their voice to a petition which will be delivered to the Minister of Skills and Enterprise, Matthew Hancock MP, during our Action Week this summer (June 16-20).

This petition is part of a wider new campaign called A Future. Now which aims to raise awareness of skills, health and housing gaps to help improve the lives of homeless people across the UK.

We know reading matters. People who are homeless need opportunities and often a second chance to learn skills that will help them live independently and turn their back on homelessness for good. Recovery won’t happen without the foundation stones of confident literacy and numeracy.

This is why we are urging the Government to help homeless people build their future. And we need your help to achieve this.